It just keeps getting better

So I've finally done it. I've been wet shaving with a DE safety razor for about 4 months or so, and today I got the first shave where I am truly satisfied. Well, I've been satisfied since week 1 but I realized I am getting progressively better, and today I got such a great shave, with minimal passes, didn't miss a damn hair, and I am baby smooth!

I naively thought I'd reached a pinnacle but after hours of reading and browsing the forums I picked up some techniques and I am progressing even further.

Just thought I'd share. Anyone ever get this excited from a shave?

I don't get a baby smooth shave as you got.

What I get is a DFS (Dang fine shave) every shave. I'd rather wait 20 hours or so to shave again.

What I get excited about is that I learned how to use a DE razor and blade. And I get excited because we are doing better than the other shavers who use 2 blades or more to get a shave. They are spending too much on a cartridge.

Congrats, it's a great feeling!

Going on my 3rd month of DE shaving and I do look forward to my daily shave (sometimes I skip a day), but not often. I find myself thinking about what I can improve and where I need to research according the the last shave. I am on B&B daily looking around for those pro tips, and sometimes, a new members has given rise to thoughts on improvement. My Muhle R41 Grand (2013) has given me a BBS albeit with some weepers as well, lol. I don't mind, part of the learning curves. Moving away from cartridge razors has been a great money saver. Given, of course, my savings are being turned back into wet shaving supplies for now. Next year I imagine the savings will truly show.

thekidzac said:

Anyone ever get this excited from a shave?

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Sir, I think most of the members here get this excited from a shave 4 months into it. I'm not one for excitement myself but I do get very satisfied from a good shave. Keep up the progression.

Congratulations. In future, you will find that the BBSs start to come more frequently.

Would love to hear some things you have learned ! maybe on prep? Blades ?

It's taken me six months to get there, but I completely get where you're coming from. Enjoy your shaves, gentlemen.

I probably felt the most jazzed when I nailed the pattern for getting my neck smooth w/o any irritation. (I had to keep trying different first pass angles until I found the best one)

I'm three months in and had a similar feeling from today's shave. Specifically, I feel that my technique has naturally progressed to the point where it gives me the same results in only 2 passes that it used to take me 3 to achieve. I had been doing 3 passes for the past several weeks after learning that it gave me better results than only 2 passes, which I was doing previously. Today I decided to try stopping at 2, and I'm very pleased with the results--pretty much the same as I've been getting with 3 passes and much better than when I started.

For the record, since I'm very prone to ingrown hairs, I never try for true BBS and do all my passes WTG only. Also I use the same tools and soap daily, and I feel that practice using the same things over time really helps the natural development of technique with those specific items.

... I do, sir, every day!!

Congrats!

Congrats. It does take some time, but as you can attest, its well worth the wait.

Well done. BIG congrats.

Congratulations! Your excitement is natural. I often felt the same, but over time it changed to a feeling of satisfaction. As noted, you'll get BBS more often as your technique is refined. Enjoy!

Smoothie said:

Would love to hear some things you have learned ! maybe on prep? Blades ?

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I made two major change and a few little changes.

The first major change was learning how to hold my razor. Seems simple but I was pushing way to hard before and never kept a consistent "grip". I saw the post about trying out the two or three finger grip and it really changed the whole dynamic of my shaves.

Next I started to concentrate on a consistent angle when shaving. Those two things really improved my experience.

After that I followed a bit of Kyle's prep and quit rushing through the oh-so-important shaving prep routine. I got the nods of approval on the gear I was using in my "intro" post, so I have kept the same stuff, and will probably continue to do so until I feel i've "mastered" them.

It's great to know I'm not the only one that is so thankful to love my shave, and save some money. It's a great revelation, the world should now about this. They should have a forum for this stuff or something....

Congrats

Now I am just waiting for puberty to really kick in (lol I am almost 30). my "beard" is pretty patchy... I have to shave daily, and it grows pretty quick/thick, just not everywhere. But i'm sure that's why I am able to achieve that baby smoothness

Still working to get there myself, I am getting fairly consistent DFSs now...but I am still really paying close attention to learning and growing my technique and BBS isn't something that is coming easily. Glad to see the attention detail and time put in pay off! I'm looking forward to getting there with my technique as well.